Clean Slate
by stalkerhinata
Summary: Sort of AU: Ianto's plans for his future with Lisa required a lot more effort than anyone realized.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Ok First Torchwood fic. Also, first _real_ attempt at a multi-chaptered fic, big milestones here. The premise for this fic is loosely based around the movie 'Clean Slate,' but you don't have to have seen it to understand anything. This is sorta AU, as its in the Torchwood verse but with some changes, mostly behind the scenes. Also, we'll need to pretend that retcon can't be 'broken' and the only real on-screen changes will center on that.

I don't own Torchwood or Clean Slate or much of anything really..

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><p>Ianto Jones grumbled awake when his alarm sounded four hours earlier than he normally set it. He reached over to turn the bloody thing off and was shocked to find the clock covered in a clear plastic casing that prevented him from touching it. Confused, but still far too tired to question it now; Ianto simply lifted the case off and disabled the alarm. Nodding to himself in approval of the silence he furrowed back down into the warm covers and made to snuggle back into his bed partner. His confusion returned when he realized that he was alone in his bed, but all traces of sleep left him upon noticing that he was not in <em>his<em> bed, or his room for that matter. Clambering out of bed and inching over to the window, he drew back unfamiliar black curtains and instantly recognized the Cardiff skyline.

Pulling back a shaking hand, Ianto immediately glanced towards the closed door. Was it locked? Were _they_ out there? His mind reeled with the possibilities of why he was here. He was just an archivist, hardly the best candidate for anyone wanting information. Panic set in when he realized that it had finally happened; he had been _selected_. He was now one of the disposable workers chosen for "_scientific research."_ He'd never be heard from again. He'd never see Lisa again. His breaths had become shorter and he knew he was close to hyperventilating when his gaze was drawn back to the window and what was quite obviously downtown Cardiff. '_Don't be stupid,'_ He berated himself. Torchwood One did all of their dirty dealings in London, they wouldn't dare encroach on Three's territory for something like that. Yvonne Hartman feared Jack Harkness just as much as she hated him. He sank back onto the bed in relief but tensed up noticing something that he had missed in his scramble to the window. An old fashion tape recorder sat innocuously on the bedside table; the yellow Post-it note on top simply read 'Play Me' in his own neat handwriting.

After a short internal debate, Ianto pressed Play and was surprised to hear his own voice coming from the device,

"_Okay, now that you've calmed down let me reassure you that you haven't been taken and no one else is in your flat, Yes, _your_ flat. It's perfectly safe to leave the room and explore and there'll be time for that later, but right now you have a lot to learn and the three and a half hours or so you have left before work isn't really enough time to cover it all. Right then, I suppose the first thing you need to know is that every time you go to sleep, you lose your memory."_

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><p><em>AN:_ Okay, this chapter is just a short prologue/teaser and I promise to post the _real _first chapter as soon as I can. I just want to see if anyone is interested, so _please_ tell me what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

It was lying. It had to be. Ianto racked his brain for anything amiss but the machine was obviously wrong. He remembered _everything_ about himself. It was impossible not to, his memory was perfect, _eidetic_ even. This was just some sort of sick joke he was playing…on himself.

"_Hey! Calm down and listen to me!"_

Ianto jerked at his own irritated voice and realized that he had stopped listening to the recording. He apparently knew himself very well.

"_That's better. Now, by now you have determined that you still remember everything about your past, so I'm obviously not referring to your _entire_ memory. The last thing you remember is coming home from Torchwood Tower, eating dinner with Lisa, watching some bad TV, and going to bed early._

Ianto nodded along to what his voice was recapping. That had been just last night. Lisa made some quick pasta dish and they exchanged office gossip – the newest 'sphere' hypothesis and how they would miss Kathy in personnel who'd been _selected_ for a 'special project.' They flicked through the channels until they couldn't stand to hear another mention of the ghosts, and then they'd fallen into bed together.

"_That was almost three months ago."_

The Welshman froze, unable to believe what he had heard; he reached blindly for the rewind button but stopped when the recording repeated itself on its own.

"_That was almost three months ago. Sorry, but I thought I'd save you from trying to rewind; these things are really difficult to get to a specific spot. Now, you'll want to be sitting for the rest, I wish I could skip this part but it's imperative to know why I-we're doing this."_

Recording-Ianto wasn't the only one that would've liked to have skipped this part. He spoke – in excruciating detail – of the horrors of Canary Wharf; of narrowly escaping his own conversion only to find that Lisa hadn't been so lucky; of dragging her nearly lifeless body through the burning corridors of Torchwood Tower, over the bodies of the dead and the dying. He briefly explained converting the Cybermen's technology into a life support system for her and living in storage with her until he forced their way into Torchwood Three. By the end, they were both crying. Ianto had curled up on his bed with his face pressed into his knees and he imagined his recorded counterpart being in the same position. When the voice finally regained its composure it spoke again.

"_Now we come to the Retcon. You'll notice a generous supply in the drawer of your bedside table, they're already cut into daily dosages, and you'll take one tablet every night before you go to sleep. I know you're confused, but bare with me. I've told you about our plan to fix Lisa; this is for the after. Once Lisa is better there's no way that you'll be able to stay with Torchwood, and we both know that there are only two ways out."_

'_Death or Retcon,' _Ianto thought bitterly. It was obvious which way he was taking.

"_Exactly. Now, with everything that's going on, we absolutely can't afford to forget any of it. Which is where the self-medicating comes in. Taking a small dose daily over some amount of time should build us an immunity. So when Lisa gets better, you just turn in your resignation, take their little pill, and live out the rest of our life with Lisa. Safe and happy."_

Recording-Ianto was beginning to sound slightly manic and he wondered what state of mind he had been in when he came up with this plan. But, just as quickly the voice had gone back to its calm and professional self.

"_So, now you know the plan. In the chest at the end of your bed is all the information you'll need, so study up. I know that it's a lot to take in and a lot to expect but just remember, this is for Lisa."_

Ianto felt his shaking resolve strengthen at those four words and knew that he would do anything to protect his future with Lisa.

"_Oh. And umm … About Jack, He can be a little… overbearing. Just flirt with him a little and ignore him a lot. You'll see."_

XXX

In the hope chest at the end of Ianto's bed were seven thick files. The one he chose to read first was on Lisa – everything that had been done to help her and everything that still needed to be done. Next were basic rules and regulations of Torchwood Three, followed by a detailed description of his specific duties – as a sort of _butler_, apparently. Then there were files on each of the operatives he'd be working with. The first three seemed to be standard personnel files with handwritten notes added and pictures clipped in, but the last file – on one 'Jack Harkness (Leader)' – was almost entirely handwritten; the first half being dedicated to facts and personality traits and the second half seeming more like the strung together findings of a conspiracy theorist. There were photocopied documents linking 'Jack Harkness' to 'Torchwood' for over a hundred years. Ianto sighed and skipped that part, once again questioning the mental state he had been in when he had put this all together. A least the rest of the information seemed to be good, and quite thorough if he did say so himself. There were even maps of the Torchwood hub and archives along with access codes and detailed instructions on the easiest ways to complete his many tasks. For the first time since he had woken up, Ianto felt a small bit of confidence. He might actually be able to do this.

XXX

He couldn't do this. Ianto Jones stood, completely frozen, in front of the cog door long after it rolled shut. Even with his memorization of the hub layout and his list of duties, he had no idea what to do know that he was actually _inside_. His eyes darted around cataloguing everything he could see and comparing that to the mental map he had formed; water tower, kitchens, workstations, office, pterodactyl – _Myfawny_, he remembered distantly.

"You should be used to it by now."

Ianto jumped out of his thoughts and glanced up. Smirking down at him from the walkway was _The_ Captain Jack Harkness. The Welshman caught himself feeling a little star struck. The Captain had been a bit famous back at The Tower; half of the people feared him and the other half _wanted_ him. Ianto had always walked the line between the two, though seeing the man here, in person, made him consider crossing over. He was memorizing the older man's features, which seemed just as important as all of the other information he had absorbed today, when he reached the eyes and realized that The Captain was looking at him rather expectantly. _'Ah.' _He remembered reading about his camaraderie with Jack; playful, lighthearted banter. Exactly what he needed.

"It's a lot to take in, still seems like a dream sometimes."

"Well, if you ever need anyone to pinch you –"

"You'll be the first to know, sir."

One side of Jack's mouth twitched down, and Ianto panicked. He thought he had completely blown it, but there was amusement in the other man's voice when he spoke.

"We've talked about this Ianto. When are you going to stop with the 'sir?'"

Their smirks were nearly identical.

"When you can honestly tell me that you don't like it, sir. Coffee?"

XXX

The rest of the day was pretty much a blur as Ianto found it surprisingly easy to stay invisible. The team seemed to only take notice of him when they needed something, so he simply made sure that they never needed anything. Upon opening the tourist office that morning, he had found a leather diary in the desk containing more detailed descriptions of everyday encounters along with mentions of the more interesting artifacts the team had discovered. There was also a notepad full of observations on his teammates; everything from personality quirks to lunch orders and coffee preferences.

Thumbing through the diary a second time, Ianto's eyes caught on a page describing the night he and Jack had captured Myfawny and the realization struck. He quickly called up his mental record of the information he had scoured this morning, and he smiled. Never once, in any document, had he mentioned Myfawny's name. This was progress. He had _remembered_ something. He let out a relieved little laugh; perhaps this wouldn't be so hard after all.

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><p>AN: I know that I haven't really mention any of the team yet, but just to let you know this is taking place between Ianto joining Torchwood Three and Gwen's arrival. So, the fourth teammate is Suzie not Gwen. Thanks to those of you that reviewed/alerted the prologue! Please continue to tell me what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: So, I've come to the conclusion that it's going to be really hard to express how much time has passed since Ianto won't remember it. I'm going to do my best to keep it from getting too confusing. Just let me know if you get lost.

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><p>It was really bugging him. Ever since reading the last entry in his diary – informing him of his small breakthrough with Myfawny – Ianto had been thinking of the dinosaur non-stop. Although he hadn't been able to dredge up any actual memories yet, nothing in any of his files, or his diary made him think she would be <em>important <em>enough to break the retcon, even a little. He should be remembering _Lisa_ or Canary Wharf, something _big._ He just couldn't for the life of him figure out what it was about her that pulled at his subconscious.

XXX

Ianto was idly drying dishes, still keeping an eye on Myfawny, when he felt the approach. Even after only a day, he could tell when Jack was around him, like a sixth sense. The Captain's scent wrapped around him, instantly making him feel a bit warmer, a bit lighter. Ianto turned to greet his boss, hearing Myfawny screech overhead as they locked eyes and –

_-Cold concrete slammed into his back. Those eyes directly above him, alight with laughter. Jack's scent invading his senses. His hard body pressing down into his own. Their faces so close he could just-_

"Ianto?" Jack said his name like it wasn't the first time he had done so. Outside of the memory was a lot like the inside. He was still lost in those blue-grey eyes, their faces were still inches apart, and Jack's cologne –_ Pheromones – _was still messing with his head. The Captain's brow was furrowed in concern until he noticed the blush crawl across the Welshman's face, and the shallowness of his breathing. Jack smirked.

XXX

Ianto dropped his diary in horror. This crossed a line. He had _kissed_ Jack Harkness._ The_ _Jack Harkness. _It was unbelievable. He briefly wondered if his boss had found his diary and written this to mess with him. - '_Jack wouldn't do that'_ - "You don't know him!" He admonished his subconscious out loud. Several times the diary had recounted times of heavy flirting and alluded to a few close calls, but he had been convinced that they had all been _necessary_ to keep his secret. This was inexcusable. That Ianto – and he wondered how unhealthy it was to think of himself as a different person each day – had obviously wanted this to happen. With the way he wrote about the kiss as if he had developed his first schoolgirl crush, Ianto was surprised to not see Jack's name in hearts doodled over the page.

Yesterday's Ianto had failed. Today would be different. _He_ would not fall under the spell of Jack _bloody_ Harkness.

XXX

Jack was cheerful when he came down from his office, even more so when he spotted his favorite Welshman by the coffee machine. He raised his hand in greeting but the pleasantries died on his tongue when he saw Ianto's face. His mouth was set in a harsh frown and his eyes were determined, but a light flush was spreading across his face. It was adorable. Jack winked in his direction and deliberately hid his smirk when the younger man nearly spilled milk over the counter before schooling himself back into his butler persona. Ianto was determined not to let Jack get to him. Jack was determined to make sure he did. The game was on.

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><p>AN Sorry about how short this is. Chapter lengths (and update times) will most likely fluctuate greatly. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed/alerted/favorite this story! Please continue to do so.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: A bit longer this time, I was serious about that fluctuating. Hopefully it's good. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed/alerted/favorite his story so far! Please continue!

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><p>Ianto reread his last few diary entries with growing trepidation. In the days following <em>that<em> entry he had noted that Jack seemed to have taken the innocent flirting of the previous weeks to a dangerous new level. Somehow the 'other' Iantos were having trouble resisting. He couldn't help but read the information rather clinically; it was hard to connect to the idea that he had betrayed Lisa with someone he hadn't even met yet. His eyes flickered warily to the secret door. He could only fake opening the tourist office for so long. Several of his duties warned that they should be done before the others arrived, and he wanted to see Lisa for himself, but even with his disbelief of the information in his diary, he feared meeting Jack. He knew from office gossip that The Captain ranged from intimidating to salacious at the best of times, and apparently he may have reason to be _expectant_ of Ianto.

As the cog doors rolled back, Ianto braced himself for the scene his reports had described, but still couldn't help but be a little in awe of the sight he was met with. Maps of the hub really didn't do it justice. He tried to take it all in with a deceptively nonchalant glance – his files warned him to stop looking at it as if he was seeing it for the first time every day, same goes for Jack – but he felt a little bitter at not being able to look his fill. Thankfully, he appeared to be alone and so he wasted no time in pulling up his mental map and making his way to Lisa.

XXX

Ianto buried his face further into his knees to muffle his sobs. He had promptly broken down just inside the door to Lisa's room. Hearing Recording-Ianto's choked recap of his girlfriend's condition did nothing to prepare him for the reality. Lisa's still, pallid flesh had so many machines hooked in that it was hard to tell how much of it was life support and how much was _her_.

There was no telling how long the Welshman sat curled up against the door, staring at the monster that should be his fiancé. He was glad that Lisa was unconscious for this, there was no way he could be loving or supportive at the moment. Part of him though that she was probably used to his initial reaction by now, but that just made the guilt grow stronger and brought tears back to his eyes. He vowed to make a note to control his emotions better around her, but he knew it was a lost cause.

He had to get upsoon. The others would be arriving and Jack would start looking for him; it would ruin everything to be found down here now. Ianto straightened himself out, kissed Lisa's cold lips, and made his way back out of the room.

XXX

Ianto was completely unprepared to run into Jack, literally, right outside the entrance to the basement. Jack held out his arms to steady the younger man and seemed just as surprised to see him there.

"Ianto? What are you doing down here?" Jack asked in a tone that edged a little too close to suspicion for his liking. The older man's browns began to knit in concern and Ianto wondered what his face must look like after all that crying. He racked his mind for an excuse, a distraction, something to explain both his presence and his flustered appearance. He thought back to his diary and instantly knew what he had to do.

"I was just looking for you, sir." Ianto tried for a flirty tone that was surprisingly easy to achieve around the Captain. He flicked his eyes down to Jack's lips and back up before pasting a smirk on his face.

Jack's eyes lit up immediately and his smile was playful as he started to close the small distance they had developed between them. "And what exactly would I be doing down here?"

"Well, one never knows where you might be hiding, sir." '_Ain't that the truth?' _

"Ah, but Mr. Jones, I would never hide from you." Jack's eyes lost their playfulness for a second. His voice held an emotion that Ianto couldn't finger. He thought back to his files; to the relationship he had built with Jack. There was light-hearted banter and not-so innocent flirting. There were late night and early morning conversations, but he had never reported anything that would explain this _closeness_ that Jack seemed to feel entitled to. Ianto panicked; backpedaled.

"And here I was thinking that we could make a game of it." He even added a wink to the end of his statement, anything to keep from the potential seriousness behind Jack's eyes. It worked. Jack laughed.

"Anytime, so long as I get to make the rules!"

Ianto pretended to consider the proposal for a second, whilst mentally congratulating himself for diffusing the situation.

"Deal." He finally conceded, and Jack's victorious grin made him shiver.

Apparently the banter was over because Jack's face was inching towards his at an alarming rate. Ianto tried his best to keep the internal struggle off of his face. He was disgusted and excited. His stomach churned while his heart flipped. It was all forgotten when their lips touched. Where their first kiss was soft and gentle, this one was hungry and passionate. Jack was devouring; Ianto was searching. For a moment, he felt like he had found _something_.

They jumped apart as the door alarm sounded, signaling the team's arrival.

"Duty calls," Jack grimaced.

"Tea boy! Coffee!"

"And I answer," Ianto bowed away, his heart racing as he retreated to the kitchen.

XXX

Ianto was grateful that his butler's mask was so much easier to maintain around the rest of the team. It just wouldn't do for them to see the turmoil he was feeling, he didn't think he could stomach any of the awkward glances or fake concern they may have offered. He delivered the coffee with little to no eye contact and made his rounds before fleeing back to Lisa's room. But even talking to her couldn't chase away the arousal that stayed with him the rest of the day, flaring up again every time he saw Jack; a constant reminder of his failures.

XXX

_~Ianto's Diary~_

_Sunday, July 19__th_

_Interesting finds: Various items classified "junk." Perhaps an alien flea market? Nothing much to report._

_Shopping Tomorrow: Coffee beans, milk, bottled water, chocolate biscuits, bleach, sanitizing wipes, rubber gloves, iodine, Chap Stick, copy paper, and a new mop._

_Up Janet's sedative dosage (outlined in page eight, paragraph three of 'Hub Duties.') Had to fight her off while cleaning the cells today. Speak to Owen about maximum recommended doses._

_It happened again today. Worse than before. See new revisions to 'Jack.' There'll be no avoiding him now._

_Confessed to Lisa; told her everything. She's forgiven me, wish I could. _


	5. Chapter 5

"_Oh. And umm … About Jack, He can be a little… overbearing. Just flirt with him a little and ignore him a lot. You'll see."_

Ianto took a breath to compose himself, shivering as the tear tracks on his cheeks grew cold. He was just about to open his hope chest and begin preparing for the life he'd have to live today, when Recording-Ianto was back, sounding slightly flustered with a tinge of panic.

"_Revisions to 'Jack.' You're now going to need to flirt with him A LOT, and for God's sake don't ignore him! See Jack's file and Diary for..erm…details.."_

Recording-Ianto trailed off on the last word, the blush obvious in his voice. His counterpart's eyebrows were practically hitting his hairline. He uneasily slid Jack's file to the top of his pile and took a deep breath before opening it, not liking the implications of that last statement. He read through the first part quickly, making sure to commit everything to memory. The next part he skimmed through, rather incredulously. The third and final part of the file consisted of more hand-written papers, with a bit shakier writing than the rest. Glancing down the first page, he felt a blush spread up his own neck as a few words jumped out, confirming his fears. The pages contained detailed descriptions – including dates and times – of him and Jack _dabbling_. There had only been kissing and touching so far, _thank God._ But it was far more than could be accepted 'for the cause.' He felt mildly panicked. This was a role he didn't feel he could play, even facing the evidence that he already had. He reread the information several times, getting lost in the volumes that were spoken within a few pages. His breath quickened. His pants tightened. His head refused to accept it. His heart refused to deny it. He never had learned which to listen to.

XXX

Ianto walked straight to Lisa's room when he got to work. His mind was in such a haze that he almost didn't care if anyone noticed him. Lisa was awake when he got there. A sharp gasp escaped him before he recalled his note to not react so strongly to her. Forcing down the utter turmoil that flared up at the sight of her, her marched straight to her side to give her a deep kiss full of love and longing that she happily returned.

XXX

Ianto's mind wandered as he mechanically went through his duties, with an ease he contributed to muscle memory. He started the coffee when he heard the team begin to arrive, pulling up his mental list of their preferences and the order in which he should deliver the cups; Suzie was always first, Jack was always last. He wondered if that was a conscious effort to avoid Suzie – who seemed to freak him out a little – while leaving plenty of time for Jack. He delivered the coffees silently and they were received silently, until he reached Jack's office where he was yanked out of his thoughts by a hand clamped down on his over the mug, and a face growing ever closer to his. He jerked back so violently that the cup went with him, spilling coffee everywhere and shattering on the floor. Ianto let out several Welsh curses under his breath and crouched down to clean up the mess. He could feel Jack moving around the desk to stand behind him, practically saw his arms crossing.

"What's wrong Ianto?" Jack asked in a strange tone, completely ignoring the mess and focusing solely on the man clearing it up.

"Sorry Sir, I just-"He broke off on seeing the anger in the Captain's face. Jack's eyes were darting between Ianto's guilty expression and his kiss-swollen lips, but the younger man was oblivious to the problem. "-just had a rough night."

Something passed though Jack's eyes a bit like fury and a tad like possession, but it was gone before Ianto could see it properly. They stayed quiet as Ianto finished cleaning the spill and Jack flopped back down behind his desk. Five minutes later when Ianto brought up a fresh coffee in a new mug, it was delivered silently and received silently, the Welshman lost in thought again as he pondered what he had done to screw up so badly this early in the day.

XXX

As the day went on, Jack seemed to have completely forgotten anything had occurred that morning. He was on full-flirt mode, much to the rest of the team's annoyance. By mid-afternoon, he was practically molesting Ianto whenever they were in touching distance, growling in annoyance anytime the other man jumped at his touch. He looked nearly murderous when he saw the frightened expression on his prey's face as he pushed him up against the shelves in the archives. Jack gentled his kiss until Ianto calmed down, before delving in more possessively, his anger ebbing as the Welshman kissed back with just as much enthusiasm. Despite everything, and as much as he hated to admit it, Ianto was having fun.

XXX

Later that evening, when the rest of the team had left and Ianto was finishing his duties, Jack pounced again. This time pushing Ianto up against the fridge, feeling extremely gratified when the other man didn't even flinch. Soon enough, they were both panting and had more clothes on the kitchen floor than they had left on their bodies. Jack was slowly leading Ianto to his office, trying to steer around furniture without ever detaching their mouths. They stopped at the doorway, the point of no return.

"You sure you're ready for two 'rough nights' in a row?" Jack asked cheekily

Ianto's eyes took on a rather mischievous glint, "This night would be considerably rougher, I'd wager." He noted the way Jack's eyes darkened, and he was sure that their smirks matched again.

"Oh Mister Jones, you have no idea."

XXX

Two hours later, Jack blinked awake clutching the still warm sheets that used to be covering a certain sexy Welshman. The twinge of disappointment he felt at seeing that Ianto was no longer in his bunker at all lifted immediately when he heard movement upstairs. He couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face when he reached his office doorway, even if he'd wanted to. A still slightly disheveled Ianto was puttering around the kitchen, obviously making coffee. The good stuff, if Jack trusted his nose, and he usually did. The grin dropped when he got close enough to see tight muscles and shaking shoulders.

"Ianto?" His voice was full of apprehension, which doubled when the man in question whipped around, his eyes red and wide with panic.

"Jack," Ianto breathed out. "Sir, sorry..I just…" He trailed off nervously. He hadn't expected Jack to come after him; he needed time to compose himself before he went back down.

"Nightmares?" Jack supplied, somewhat hopefully. He didn't want to think that sleeping with him had been what had caused the younger man so much distress.

"Yes. Nightmares." He latched onto the excuse immediately, feeling a swirl of guilt at how easily he lied to Jack after what they had just shared. He couldn't even remember Canary Wharf, and he was supposed to be traumatized by it. The only proof he had of it really happening were his files and Lisa. _Lisa_. The guilt intensified and he was shaking again. He knew that even when this was all over he'd never tell Lisa what had happened. One day he'd have to leave Jack and lie to Lisa. Hurt everyone.

"Hey. Hey, it's ok now." Jack had moved closer and was running his hands down Ianto's arms in a soothing gesture that had the Welshman backing up until the counter top pressed painfully into his spine. But Jack simply followed, cupping Ianto's face and wiping away the stray tears that had fallen. They locked eyes. Ianto felt stripped bare under that gaze, like Jack could see _everything_. He had never been afraid of anything more than he was of Jack finding out about his betrayal, and a traitorous part of his mind knew that it wasn't because it would mean losing _Lisa._ Then Jack pulled him into a chaste kiss - just a light pressing of their lips, really – that he held until Ianto's breathing evened and his body relaxed.

They were both smiling when they broke apart. Until Jack looked over Ianto's shoulder and saw the lone mug of coffee on the counter.

"Just one cup?" Ianto spun abruptly to retrieve the mug as if just remembering it was there and held it out for the Captain.

"Heading home," He replied looking at his feet and mumbling out another excuse, "don't sleep well…in strange beds."

Jack looked deep in thought for a second before his grin returned to his face, "Right then, I'll remember that for next time."

Ianto pasted a smile on his face even though the guilt was swirling up again as Jack sipped his coffee. He knew that the older man wouldn't remember _anything_ 'for next time.'

Because, really, why choose now to stop using Retcon to solve all of his problems

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><p>AN: Thanks to everyone that has read/reviewed/alerted/favorited this story! Please continue to do so.


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